Filmstudy - Filmstudy is a sophisticated and comprehensive statistical analysis of the Ravens defense that incorporates a participation-by-play tracking system. This unique analysis is the brain child of the author and provides our readers with the real story behind the Ravens’ top end defensive results in the National Football League. Make Russellstreetreport.com the source for all of your Ravens football news and the forum to talk about what the Ravens fans want to hear most.

Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Battle Plans - During the season, you can expect to find thoughtful analysis in each of our Game Previews. We bring out the chalk and then talk X’s and O’s. In the offseason, Dev Panchwagh — The Scientist, digs beneath the surface and serves up insightful commentary on issues facing the Ravens and the NFL. School is in session!

After starting off the season as one of the best red zone teams in the NFL, the Ravens sputtered to just three field goals last Sunday in Kansas City.

That was in stark contrast to their production through the season’s first four games, when Joe Flacco & Co. scored eight touchdowns in twelve opportunities inside the 20-yard line. That was good for a 66.67% touchdown percentage, and when you add on Justin Tucker’s two short field goals, they were 10/12, a scoring percentage of 83.3%.

Had they maintained that 66.67 touchdown percentage, they would currently be tied with Denver and New Orleans for second-best in the entire NFL, behind only the Green Bay Packers (73.33%).

Instead, after last week’s 0/3 showing, their touchdown percentage has dropped to 53.3%, good for 15th in the league, tied with teams like Miami (2-3) and Detroit (1-3).

Unfortunately, this regression has put the Ravens more in line with their historical red zone production. Under Cam Cameron and Joe Flacco, the Ravens’ red zone touchdown percentages over the years have been as follows:

2008: 48.28 (22nd in the NFL)

2009: 51.56 (15th)

2010: 49.15 (22nd)

2011: 50% (18th)

Of course, we have a small sample size, as the team has played only five games here in 2012. With the offense in general getting up and down the field better than we have seen in the past (currently the #8 offense in yards per game), it’s entirely possible that the Ravens will be able to put up more points per game with the same red zone touchdown percentage simply by getting into the red zone more often.

However, for this offense to truly take the next step into one of the best in the league, they need to put the ball in the end zone when the opportunity presents itself.

With what we’ve seen from the defense through the early part of the year, lighting up the scoreboard will be crucial to the team’s prospects moving forward.

Let’s hope that the Kansas City game was merely a bump in the road, and the team that we saw through the first four games – the one scoring touchdowns on two of every three red zone trips – is who the Ravens really are.

The Cowboys come into this game as the 12th-ranked red zone defense, allowing opponents to score touchdowns on 44.44% of trips inside the 20 (KC is 23rd, even after last week), so it’s not going to be easy on Sunday. Still, playing at home, the feeling here is that the Ravens are up to the challenge and will be successful inside the red zone this week.

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About Derek Arnold

RSR/ESR Senior Editor. Derek is originally from and a current resident of Pasadena, MD. He’s a graduate of UMBC and has been a lifelong Baltimore sports fan. In 2007 he founded B’More Birds’ Nest, where he wrote about the Ravens and Orioles before joining RSR in 2012. Derek’s work has been featured on Charm City Current, Bleacher Report, and other online sports sites.
Follow Derek on Twitter: @BMoreBirdsNest More from Derek Arnold

Filmstudy - Filmstudy is a sophisticated and comprehensive statistical analysis of the Ravens defense that incorporates a participation-by-play tracking system. This unique analysis is the brain child of the author and provides our readers with the real story behind the Ravens’ top end defensive results in the National Football League. Make Russellstreetreport.com the source for all of your Ravens football news and the forum to talk about what the Ravens fans want to hear most.

Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Battle Plans - During the season, you can expect to find thoughtful analysis in each of our Game Previews. We bring out the chalk and then talk X’s and O’s. In the offseason, Dev Panchwagh — The Scientist, digs beneath the surface and serves up insightful commentary on issues facing the Ravens and the NFL. School is in session!